Metro housing board fires director, Mansfield mayor threatens legal action

The vote came after an hour-long executive session with board members Isoleen Dunn and Deb Chase, vice chair Sarah Hairston and the board's attorney Andrew Burton. All three board members declined to comment on their reasons for terminating Andrews. The other two board members, board chair Kathy Shambre and Ron Biddle, were absent.

Andrews declined to comment on his removal, but said he isn't finished with his work at the MMHA.

"My next step is to get my coat and leave," he said after the meeting. “As this whole thing plays out, I believe over the next few weeks, I'll be back and we'll go from there."

Shambre called the decision to remove Andrews "ridiculous."

"Frankly it's rather disgusting what happened today," she said. "He has a lot of things going on in this town that are for the betterment of Mansfield and the surrounding communities. He's doing an excellent job. Everybody likes him."

Shambre attended Tuesday's meeting but left early, telling fellow board members she could not go into executive session because she had other obligations. As the other board members voted to enter executive session, Shambre gathered her things and departed. 

Andrews' termination follows months of contentious meetings where Shambre, Andrews and Biddle were at odds with the rest of the board.

Dunn, Hairston and Chase voted earlier this month not to renew Andrew's contract, which expires June 30.

The trio voted to appoint deputy director Stephanie Hartzler as acting director and accounting manager Bonnie Virden as acting deputy director. They also voted to demote deputy director Kim Turner to her previous role as data management specialist.

The shakeup in the agency's executive staff comes amid Mayor Tim Theaker's efforts to remove two board members, Dunn and Chase. 

Earlier this month, Theaker hand-delivered letters to his two board appointees requesting their resignation. Both letters stated if they didn't resign voluntarily, Theaker would seek legislation from city council to remove them.

Theaker sent a second letter to both of his appointees Monday. Theaker told Chase he was removing her "effective immediately" because she no longer met the legal requirements for the position.

Under the Ohio Revised Code, Theaker is required to appoint one board member who is a resident of a dwelling unit owned or managed by the authority. 

"It was previously my understanding that you met that residency requirement, although it has come to my attention that you do no in fact meet that requirement," Theaker wrote. "I will be appointing a new board member that meets the statutory residency requirements as soon as possible."

In accordance with Ohio law, metropolitan housing authority board members are appointed by local government officials and are not paid.

Nicole Williams, chief operating officer of the Area Agency on Aging District 5, questioned board members and Burton over whether the vote to terminate Andrews was legitimate. 

"I'm curious as to why all these decisions being made when we know as fact that one (board member) has been removed," Williams said, referencing the letter. 

Chase denied receiving Monday's letter.

“I have never received a letter, so I'm not removed until I get that and that’s if I decide (to step down)," Chase said.

Mansfield Deputy Law Director Chris Brown said the city plans to remove Chase and Dunn if they do not resign. He said further review of the law revealed Theaker does not need legislation from council to do so.

"I believe the mayor is hoping to take court action to have them removed," Brown said.

Brown said the city has no comment on the legitimacy of Tuesday's vote.

Andrews was hired as the MMHA executive director in July 2021. Since then, he has helped the agency secure $5.5 million in bond gap financing from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency.

The money will go toward a $28 million extension of the Turtle Creek apartment complex, which is managed by the MMHA and owned by the Mansfield Leased Housing Corporation.

Turtle Creek provides housing for seniors. The proposed extension would add 120 two- and three-bedroom housing units for lower-income households.

Quality affordable housing is sorely lacking in Richland County. According to a recent countywide housing study, 44 percent of renters are cost-burdened, meaning they pay more than 30 percent of their income toward rent and utilities. An additional 21 percent are severely cost-burdened, with rent and utilities exceeding 50 percent of their income.

Andrews said his departure could jeopardize the project if the acting director or next executive director chose not to move forward. 

"There's a steep learning curving (with development projects)," Andrews said. “If we can’t see this deal through, that money goes away.”

Theaker expressed similar concerns. 

“(Andrews') termination may put millions of state and federal funding at risk," he said. 

The MMHA has also approached the city of Mansfield and Richland County commissioners to request funding for the project. Andrews also planned to pursue a 4-percent tax credit in the spring.